Theodore tugboat comes to life

Jan 1, 2003

The next time you're at sea and, looking through your binoculars,notice a vessel that looks incredibly similar to your child's bathtub toy Theodore Tugboat, chances are, you're looking at Theodore Tugboat, the life-size version that will soon by plying the waters of the U.S. and Canadian east coasts.

The 65-foot wooden tug is no toy; it will be powered by a 400-hp diesel and weigh in at 105 tons. Nonetheless, the fact that the tug's eyes can turn and look at youjust like the bathtub and PBS television show modelwill certainly be an Alice in Wonderland experience.

The full-size tug, built of oak in traditional carvel-planked fashion, is being constructed at Snyder's Shipyard near Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, for Cochran Entertainment, the Halifax company that produces the children's television series "Theodore Tugboat and Friends." The vessel will be launched into the Lahave River, Nova Scotia, in November. Theodore will tour U.S. East Coast cities as a promotional vessel beginning in April 2000.